The Violet Vulture

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! This season is entitled Penning the Dark. The formula is simple: me + guest who's written horror or about death, dying, the occult, or the obscure. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Stephanie Kemler (she/her)! Stephanie Kemler is a creatrix of magical menace, alchemical prose, and the author of Bloodborn, Bloodmad, and The Year of Sin & Smoke. We chatted about th...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! This season is entitled Penning the Dark. The formula is simple: me + guest who's written horror or about death, dying, the occult, or the obscure. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Joanna Ebenstein (she/her)! Joanna Ebenstein  is the founder and creative director of Morbid Anatomy. An internationally recognized death expert, she is the author of several books, inclu...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! This season is entitled Penning the Dark. The formula is simple: me + guest who's written horror or about death, dying, the occult, or the obscure. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Trish Lundy (she//her)! Trish Lundy grew up in Rochester, New York and now calls the West Coast home. Her debut YA thriller, THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY WITH MURDER (4/16/24), was selected as a...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! In today’s bonus episode, I’m joined by Ashley Gross aka @ewdatsgross ! our resident local weirdo. 👽 Just in time for spooky season, we chat about the following and then some: How Halloween has been feeling too consumerism-heavy over recent years and how Ashley is trying to combat that this season How there are benefits of arthouse horror popping off for horror over...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! In this episode and in our final installment of the season, Embracing Duality, I’m joined by Nicole of Into the Feral (she/her). Located in the Avondale neighborhood of Chicago, Into the Feral is a thoughtfully curated retail store full of home goods, apothecary items, jewelry and treasures. When you walk in the vibe is instantaneous. The energy in this little shop i...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! In this episode, I’m joined by Kelly-Ann Maddox (she/her). Kelly-Ann is an award-winning professional cardslinger, spiritual counsellor, witchcraft mentor, best-selling author. She specialises in sovereign spirituality, chaos magick, shadow work and self-love. In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: Rebel Witch, KAM’s first book and the impac...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! I’m solo behind the mic to discuss something I’ve been asked often since stepping out of the broom closet: my budding relationship with pagan deities. In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: The moments in late 2023/early 2024 that contributed to my evolution from deity-curious to self-professed devotee What all came up after channeling under...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! In this episode, I’m joined by Brit Star (she/her) of Sword + Stone. Brittany Starr is a channel and storyteller. She’s the Tech Goddess at Sword + Stone where she teaches tech skills for creatives and business witches. In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: We talk shop about Avatar, my website, and existing at the intersection of magickal...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today, I’m joined by Luna Seranova (she/her). Luna is an author, actress, glamour witch, and Freyja devotee with a mission to demystify the taboo. In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: We start with a few rapid-fire questions Luna gives us the dish on her debut book of poetry, Dark Moon New Moon, which was released June 4, 2024, and I read...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! In this episode, I'm joined by Dette Deveaux, The Abstract Witch (she/they)! Dette is a witchcraft educator committed to integrating the mystical with the mundane. And we have a giveaway for you! Anyone who leaves a comment on this episode on Spotify or a written review on Apple Podcasts is entered to win a 30-minute tarot reading OR a witchy consult with Dette....

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! This episode is a little different. I'm back from my hiatus and mixing it up by being interviewed by my dear friend and colleague in the creative arts: Emmy Bean. In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: What triggered the hiatus and what's new How The Violet Vulture will look different (we love a new era) My new new diagnoses and outl...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today's conversation features the incomparable Angelica Cresci (she/her). In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: The limitations of pop astrology and how to work through healing your relationship to your "bad placements" The importance of using storytelling, myths, and historical context in reviewing where beliefs around witchc...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today, we've got a long-awaited conversation for you all: a chat with the incomparable Red Rum (they/them)! In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: How a project entitled “Death by Design” helped birth the Red Rum we know and love today They dig into the first time they ever witnessed burlesque The importance of refusing to dilute their a...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today, we've got an extra special Friday the 13th episode in store for you. In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: My top 7 horror films (and the swaps I made back when I talked about my top 5) I assign a deadly sin that I think most closely corresponds to each of my top 7 The Halloween-y season archetype I think helps bring balance to e...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today, we've got a special guest on the podcast: Karin Ashley of Ampersand Curiosities (she/her)! In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: What draws Karin to the intersection of beauty and decay Her relationship to natural history and how it informed her artistic beginnings as well as where she is today We got to hear her touch on the cry...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today, we've got the second installment of {Tiger's Eye} {Tiger's Eye} is one of the benefits of being a member of my Patreon! Patrons at the Jock tier and The Final Girl tier can contribute their tarot inquiries or questions about horror, death, wellness, writing, or spirituality (the sky's the limit!) to this advice column-style episode. Episodes wi...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today, we've got the first installment of {Tiger's Eye} {Tiger's Eye} is one of the benefits of being a member of my Patreon! Patrons at the Jock tier and/or The Final Girl tier can contribute their tarot inquiries or questions about horror, wellness, writing, or spirituality (the sky's the limit!) to this advice column-style episode. Episodes will be...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! The Mirror is my bonus mini-series that acts as a vessel for how I review - and refuse to rate - horror movies. You will find no "1 or 4-star reviews" here because I stand by horror not being something you can whittle down to some uniform scale. The Mirror will be shorter episodes that will be spoiler-free. TLDR: Think of The Mirror as a spooky little amuse...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today we've got a super special guest on the podcast, Rachelle Younie (she/her). Rachelle is the host of Mortality and the Morgue and a writer, director, producer, and comedian. She uses her podcast to discuss her time working in a morgue and interviews death-care professionals, artists, doctors, and more about all things death, dying, and grief. In this episode,...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! The Mirror is my bonus mini-series that acts as a vessel for how I review - and refuse to rate - horror movies. You will find no "1 or 4-star reviews" here because I stand by horror not being something you can whittle down to some uniform scale. Each one is a spooky snowflake that ought to be judged on its own merits. The Mirror will be shorter episodes tha...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today we've got an action-packed solo episode full of ups and downs and everything in between from yours truly. In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: I offer a quick and dirty glance at some of the astrology that will impact us until 2025 (so buckle up) I give y'all a little peek into the deets of our recent trip to California I spi...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! The Mirror is my bonus mini-series that acts as a vessel for how I review - and refuse to rate - horror movies. You will find no "1 or 4-star reviews" here because I stand by horror not being something you can whittle down to some uniform scale. Each one is a spooky snowflake that ought to be judged on its own merits. The Mirror will be shorter episodes tha...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today we've got a super special guest on the podcast, Mickey Alice Kwapis (she/her). Mickey is a Chicago-based specimen artist, jewelry maker, stained glass artist and fully owns her weirdo status. In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: Mickey dug into what kicked off her interest in preservation (hint: it runs in the fam) She unpacked h...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today we've got a super special guest on the podcast, Brigitte (she/her) of Brigitte Marie Energy Design. Speaking with Brigitte was such a breath of fresh air with how she embraces experimentation and intentionality in her own life as well as the folks that work with her. In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: What inspired her to get i...

Welcome to The Violet Vulture! Today we've got a super special guest on the podcast, fellow multi-passionate, storytelling purveyor of fine teas, botanical bitters, and wild curiosities: Ashley of Old Growth Alchemy (they/them)! In this episode, we'll get into the following and then some: Being a jack-of-all trades (and fully owning it) What kicked off their interest in making tea and bitt...